The Hersham Flood – September 1968

A Memory of Hersham.

During the 60s I lived in Surbiton and worked in Hersham.
As I was getting ready to leave for work one morning in 1968, a radio broadcast warned of severe flooding along the Mole valley following heavy rains, and consequent disruption of rail services in the area. When I arrived at Surbiton station, it was confirmed that the train service had been suspended due to the flooding. I decided to take the bus into Kingston and pick up the Hersham bus at the bus depot, in faint hope busses were still getting through to Hersham. 'We’re going to try', the bus-driver assured me - 'but there’s no guarantee we’ll get through'.
The bus got me as far as Esher. A transport trailer had taken a chance crossing the submerged river-bridge, and was now driving up into the town with water pouring out of the driver’s cab. Police would allow the bus to go no further.
I knew that every effort would be made to restore train services ASAP, so I made my way back from the town towards Esher station, hoping for a positive update on the transport situation. Then I caught sight of a train heading slowly southward through Esher station – terrific! The trains were running again. I boarded the next train for Hersham, and we departed Esher gingerly into a shockingly drowned landscape. The whole area, either side of the railway embankment, as far as the eye could see, was covered by water, just like a huge inland sea, except for tops of trees showing here and there above the flood. What happened to the horses I wondered; there were always horses in those fields. I also wondered how secure the railway embankment was, assailed on either side by swirling floodwater.
Opening the carriage door at Hersham station, I was hit by the overwhelming noise of rushing water, Only occasional excited shrieking of children could be heard above it. There was no leaving via the usual exit down the station stairs to Molesey Road, the floodwater was swirling and slopping half way up those stairs. On enquiry, the stationmaster suggested I make my way through the fence skirting the sewerage works at the north end of the platform, in order to access the trading estate, as had earlier passengers.
The factory estate was luckily on higher ground. Even so, the flood had sneakily encroached into the estate along Lyon Road, though some thoughtful person had already set some stepping stones across the flooded road. I had no further trouble getting to the office. Despite the expenditure of time and effort, once there, I found there was little I could do. Nobody else had made it to the office, and the filing cabinets were securely locked – and I needed access. I just did what I could.
It was by then lunchtime, and I thought it worth checking to see whether the works cafeteria was operating – there was always the chance it may be – and it was. I was warmly greeted by the cafeteria staff as their sole customer.
Police got busy driving their boats up and down Molesey Road, calling to residents trapped in the upper storeys of their flooded homes asking whether or not medical assistance was required. Someone tried to cross the flooded road dressed in a huge plastic bag, as though they were in a bizarre sack-race. But the man got bowled over, taken unawares by the unexpectedly powerful force of the current. He was pulled to safety after suffering a thorough soaking.
After the flood subsided, the RAF arrived with their huge ‘Queen Mary’ low-loaders, normally used for transporting dissembled aircraft fuselages and wings, but now stacked full of enormous, powerful hangar-heaters. Monstrous conduits were snaked into each house in turn all along the street, blasting hot air in an effort to dry them out. Altogether, an experience not to be forgotten.